SAVE THE DATE: Walt Disney Studios has announced that Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides is slated to be released on May 20, 2011.

The May 20th slot was previously dominated by Marvel Entertainment’s Thor from Paramount Pictures which was moved ahead in anticipation of reported problems with Sony’s production of Spider-Man 4 (coincidentally, another Marvel property).

Disney Interactive Studios has just sent us these great screen shots from their upcoming releases of Alice in Wonderland for both the Nintendo Wii and DS, to be released on May 2 (now available for pre-order). Enjoy!

Nintendo Wii:

Nintendo DS:

Remember to keep up to date with all the latest news for Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland right here at Stitch Kingdom.

Guests staying at a Walt Disney World Disney owned and operated resort will now get a bonus when celebrating a special occasion during their vacation. When a guest notes that they will be celebrating the occasion during their stay, either through the Disney Reservation Center or via online check-in, they’ll receive a voicemail during their stay from a Disney character at no additional charge.

Guests who forget to mention the celebration before arrival can alert the lobby concierge at any time during their stay in order to receive the voicemail.

Cantina de San Angel, the quick service location in Epcot’s Mexico pavilion, has just closed and begun its lengthy refurbishment. Expected to be replaced with a new, more convenient dining opportunity, the restaurant is slated to re-open on September 24, just a week shy of the 2010 Food and Wine Festival.

During the refurbishment, Taqueria Del Lago, the Mexican booth from the 2009 Food and Wine Festival will be operating for guests’ convenience.

We are also being advised that Shrunken Ned’s Junior Jungle Boats, located near the World Famous Jungle Cruise in Magic Kingdom’s Adventureland, will be unavailable from January 8 through January 25.

More than 55,500 expected runners – Disney’s largest marathon weekend field ever – are registered for the 17th annual Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend presented by CIGNA Jan. 7-10, 2010. This year’s capacity field tops last year’s record by 10,500 registered participants and aims to place the marathon weekend as the top combination race weekend in the country.

A record 55,500 athletes have registered for the variety of events that make up the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend. In 2009 the Walt Disney World Marathon was the eighth largest in the nation and the second largest combination race weekend. The main event – Sunday’s 26.2-mile journey through Disney’s four major theme parks – starts at 5:40 a.m. near Epcot.

Runners can look forward to VIP treatment as new “More Magic” options have been added. A pre-race pasta party and a post-race private celebration are new ticketed events available to those in attendance. On Thursday, Jan. 7, the Pasta in the Park Party at Epcot will give runners and their friends and family a chance to “carb load” before the race and see a special viewing of “IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth,” a nighttime fireworks display. After the marathon on Sunday, the chance to ride select attractions and unwind with a live DJ and Disney characters is available when Disney’s Hollywood Studios hosts a private Victory Lap Celebration.

The VIP Race Retreat package is available again this year offering special race-day upgrades for participants and their friends and family, such as exclusive meet and greets with Disney characters and pre-registration for next year’s marathon.

Released earlier today via the Alice in WonderlandFacebook page, Walt Disney Studios has released the first official image from Tim Burton’s upcoming film, featuring Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter.

Disney has just sent us this hi-res version of the photo which we are happy to share with you. Simply click the small version pictured here to see the image in its full size (you may also need to click the resize symbol in the corner of the image if it shows up as you hover over the image).

Thanks to a new 4 Day Dream Pass, Florida Residents can enjoy Walt Disney World Resort at a real savings. Now through May 25, 2010, in-state residents can get four days’ admission to any of the four Walt Disney World Resort theme parks for $99. Not only does that spell incredible savings but it’s a time when the parks are less crowded and there are more ways than ever to enjoy the magic.

Details:

4 Day Dream Pass

Admission to any of the 4 Walt Disney World theme parks any 4 days (excluding blockout period); 1 park per day.

Disney has made its first move since it acquired Marvel Entertainment this past year and it could prove to be a promising one for the company. But before we fly to conclusions, sorry, legions of Ant-Man fans, it’s not about him. Not yet.

In stark contrast to bringing to life some of the lesser characters, Disney’s first Marvel gesture relies on an established character who will literally be box office gold (and red) for Paramount when it releases Marvel’s Iron Man 2 this summer.

Disney has officially registered IronManOnDVD.com. No telling what Disney’s plans with the domain name are, but please allow us to speculate:

The female calf, named Squirt, was born November 25 to her five-year-old mother Sushaunna, and nine-year-old father Jingle. This latest birth is part of the Association of Zoos and Aquarium’s Gerenuk Population Management Plan.